Special Delivery
by Mel1592
Summary: Mac gets to make a special delivery. Futurefic. Smacked.


Title: Special Delivery

Author: Mel

Rating: PG

Teaser: Mac helps make a special delivery. Futurefic.

Feedback; Yes, as much as you like

Disclaimer: Not mine, CBS owns them

Stella opened her eyes, awakened by a sharp pain in her belly, which was big with the child she was expecting imminently, Mac's child. She lay still for a couple of minutes, waiting, felt another sharp pain. She nudged Mac, still asleep next to her.

"Wake up" she said.

"It's early yet…" he mumbled.

"Mac, wake up!" she nudged him harder. "It's time. I'm having contractions."

Mac was instantly awake now, and he climbed out of the bed. "Just relax, it'll be all right. I'll get you to the hospital in time." He said. Moving quickly, he threw some clothes on and helped her get ready and get downstairs and out to the car.

When they both were inside, Mac sped off, driving as quickly as he safely could. The problem was that New York never really had 'light' traffic; it was still heavy and frustratingly slow even now. He kept glancing over at Stella, aware that her contractions get faster and closer together. She was progressing quickly, and he knew this was going to be a fast labor.

"Mac, I don't think I can make it, it's coming…" she said, wincing through another contraction. "It's coming now!"

Mac pulled the car off the road, onto the shoulder, and dialed for help, then helped Stella into the backseat, the easiest place for her to lie down and get ready.

"911 emergency"

"My wife's in labor and we aren't going to make it to the hospital. The baby's coming quickly, I can see the top of the head right now." He said, and then quickly told as much as possible to help them find the location.

"Okay, the baby will likely be born very quickly; you want to tell your wife not to fight the contractions or try to wait, but to just push with the contractions when she feels them. When the baby starts to come out, you'll want to get your hands under it to support it but don't pull on it."

"I've had instructions on this sort of thing, but it's been so long ago that it's hard to remember." Mac said. "It's part of police training, but I've been out of the academy for years."

"It's all right; I'll talk you through it."

Stella had another contraction and as Mac encouraged her, she started pushing.

"The head's out, I can see the head. You're doing great, Stella, just one or two more ought to do it." He was starting to sweat, and when he reached up to wipe at his forehead, he got blood on it.

Stella waited, and when the next contraction came, she pushed again. After another minute or so, and a final determined push, the baby slipped out and into Mac's hands. He felt his heart race, first in unbridled joy, then in sudden panic. The baby was still and pale.

"It's out now…it's a girl" Mac said. "Oh god, she's not breathing…I feel a pulse, but she's not breathing."

"Make sure the mouth and nose are clear…just use your finger and if there's any mucus in the mouth or nose, gently sweep it out. Then, turn the baby over and rub its back to stimulate it."

"Mac? What's wrong?" Stella lifted her head, watching intently.

Mac gently did as instructed, clearing the baby's airway and carefully but vigorously rubbing her back. "Come on baby, breathe, breathe" he said as he sucked in a breath. Turning her back over, he gently blew a puff of air into her mouth. She sputtered, and then started to cry. The sound filled him with relief and happiness.

"It's okay, she's crying now, and she looks good" he said. "And the ambulance is just about here, I think. Yes, it's just pulling up."

"Okay, I'll hand it over to them now…and congratulations."

"Thank you."

Gently, he placed his and Stella's new daughter in Stella's arms, gazing in awe for a moment at the two of them. The baby had her mother's dark skin, though a shade or two lighter right now, and dark, curly hair. She had his eyes and, Mac thought, the strength like both of them had.

The medics brought him out of his reverie when he had to move aside to let them through. They packaged mother and baby for transport and Mac climbed into the ambulance as they loaded them inside. Once at the hospital, he was relieved to learn that both mother and baby were just fine after they were checked out.

Later, Mac sat watching Stella as she fed the baby, whose name was Melina Aiden Taylor. The somewhat unique birth had even gotten them a small news story, and Mac watched as it came on the screen of the room's TV.

"One of New York's finest made a special delivery tonight; detective Mac Taylor was driving his wife, Stella, also an NYPD detective, to the hospital after she went into labor at their home, but it soon became apparent that the baby wasn't going to wait until they got to the hospital to make her arrival. Detective Taylor had to call for help and deliver the baby himself in the backseat of the car, with coaching from a 911 operator."

Mac was on the screen now, having been coaxed into giving a comment for the piece. "It was one of those things…Police are given instructions for this sort of thing during training because it does sometimes happen, but when you're in the situation yourself, you just forget everything. Luckily, it all turned out well for us when it was over."

"The baby, who was named Melina Aiden Taylor, wasn't breathing immediately when she was delivered, but Taylor managed to revive her, and she and her mother are doing fine we're told."

Mac traded glances with Stella, who was chuckling as they watched. He wondered if the others had seen it yet though they already knew the story. Flack and Danny were already not letting him hear the end of it and he didn't think they ever would. At the moment, he was too happy to care, though, as he thought of the new life he'd created, the wonderful times that lay ahead and the stories that would be told about this day for a long time to come.


End file.
